RAF veteran gets 1,000 cards for 100th birthday

A former World War Two RAF veteran has received more than 1,000 cards from all over the world to mark his 100th birthday.

Richard "Dick" Skepper, who joined the air force when he was 18 when the war began, received the cards following an appeal by the RAF Association.

The centenarian expressed his gratitude to well-wishers, having received cards from three continents.

"My dad received cards from children as young as six months old to people in their nineties," Mr Skepper's son David said.

"He has received cards from all around the world. We’ve seen postage stamps from Australia, North and Central America, as well as a host of European countries.

“Dad has been overwhelmed by the sheer number of cards he received and was touched by the number of people who have taken the time to send a card and thank him for his service during his time in the RAF.”

Mr Skepper celebrated his birthday at the end of June with a garden party at his home at Kineton Manor Nursing Home in Warwickshire, surrounded by family and friends.

David Skepper continued: "Well-wishers have invested so much of their time and my dad has been truly humbled by the care and love shown to him in every single card he has received.

"He has read every message, enjoyed the variety of cards and been amazed by their origins.

"It would be impossible for Dick to thank everyone individually but you have all helped make his 100th birthday truly wonderful and given him new memories to take forward into his 101st year!"

Mr Skepper completed his recruit training in October 1942 and was posted to 99 Maintenance Unit, based at RAF High Ercall in Shropshire.

He qualified as a flight mechanic in February 1943 and was posted to 7 Squadron under Bomber Command at RAF Oakington in Cambridgeshire, in March 1943.

In December 1943, Mr Skepper was given the rank of Aircraftman First Class and in December 1944 he was promoted to Leading Aircraftman.

Mr Skepper worked first on Stirlings and later Lancaster bombers, as a mechanic, with Lancasters remaining his favourite aircraft to this day.

He served alongside his brothers Alec and Geoffrey who were also in Bomber Command.

All three brothers survived the war and returned home to their family and were reunited with their two sisters.

Unfortunately, all of Mr Skepper's siblings have now passed away.

After the war, he spent most of his life working on engines and other mechanical parts.

Mr Skepper married Irene in June 1945, settled in Luton and had their son David.

Mr and Mrs Skepper spent their last year together living in Kineton Manor Nursing Home so they could be closer to David, his wife Lorraine and their children, before Irene passed away in August 2018.

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